Marquette proposal 'exciting'

If approved, new building would be a magnet school.

If approved, new building would be a magnet school.

February 28, 2006|MICHAEL WANBAUGH Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Bonnie Chiszar taught for 35 years at Marquette Elementary School on the city's northwest side. She and her husband live in one of the "old houses" along Portage Avenue. The two have been married for 51 years and sent three children through the old school. "We are definitely Marquette people," Chiszar said Friday. "Over the years I taught fourth, fifth and sixth grade there. I loved every bit of it." Last Tuesday, the Chiszars read about South Bend Community School Corp. Superintendent Joan Raymond's idea to tear down the 70-year-old school, build a new one in its place and use it as a Montessori magnet school. For Chiszar, who has been retired for 10 years, the news came as silver lining to a sometimes cloudy Marquette past. "I have wondered many times about the future of Marquette," Chiszar said. "There have been times it was very uncertain. "I find this news very exciting. (Montessori) is innovative, which is exactly what South Bend (schools) need. I think it would be a coup for South Bend schools to do something like this." Currently a primary center, the school is on College Street, between Hamilton and Bergan streets. Built in 1936, Marquette is one of the oldest buildings in the corporation. Its sturdy look and old-time features have character, but it doesn't have air conditioning. "As far as the building is concerned," said Principal Carla Killelea, "we need help." This is Killelea's second year as principal of Marquette. She senses that parents and teachers are soaking in the scope of Raymond's proposal. Killelea said she hasn't received any "up-in-arms" calls about it. The school board has yet to approve the project, which is part of a larger facility plan with a cost of $33 million. The estimated cost to build a new Marquette is $13 million. The plan could be voted on as early as March 6. Raymond, who plans to retire in September, wants to have one or two Montessori classes at the existing building by the 2006-07 school year. The Montessori method of education focuses on the natural stages of child development and the preparation of an environment that cultivates the desire to learn. Children are encouraged to work independently and learn at their own pace. Classes are generally multi-age, with most students staying with the same teacher and in the same classroom for three years. "Our parents are starting to read about it, which I think is an appropriate response," Killelea said. "If we can pull it off, I think it will be really neat for this community. I'm happy about it, but our parents don't know much about Montessori." Sara Mayes has two children at Marquette and plans to have a third there next year. She doesn't know quite what to think about the proposal. "I'm not too sure about it," Mayes said. "It sounds OK, but Marquette seems fine the way it is. "I think this is one of the better schools. I'm from Michigan and was nervous moving here and sending my kids to South Bend schools. But this is a good school." Dawn Burns is a family and community specialist at Marquette. This is her first year with the corporation. She hopes to bring parents together before the Monday board meeting to discuss their concerns. "I've gotten a lot of questions from a lot of parents who really pay attention," Burns said. "But there's not much we can tell them because there's not much that we know." Chiszar knows that she is excited about the revived prospects for the Marquette community. Along with Monroe Primary Center on the south side, Marquette is the only South Bend school built before 1940 that is still in use and hasn't had a major renovation in the last five years. Its last major renovation was a classroom addition in 1953. In a similar project, Lincoln Primary, which was built in 1910 on the near southeast side, is being replaced with a new building at the same site. In 1996, former Superintendent Virginia Calvin proposed closing Marquette along with five other schools as part of a reorganization. The board rejected the plan. The school later survived Raymond's Plan Z redistricting, which closed three schools. "With all the changes in the world, one would expect Marquette to change eventually," Chiszar said. "We believe you go with the flow, take the changes and make great things out of them."Staff writer Michael Wanbaugh: mwanbaugh@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6176